UK kids have it worse than prisioners

[Skanky Vamp]

Three-quarters of UK children spend less time outside than prison inmates, according to a new survey revealing the extent to which time playing in parks, wood and fields has shrunk. A fifth of the children did not play outside at all on an average day, the poll found.

Experts warn that active play is essential to the health and development of children, “Academic research shows that active play is the natural and primary way that children learn,” said Sir Ken Robinson, an educationalist and advisor to Unilever, which makes Persil. “It is essential to their healthy growth and progress, particularly during periods of rapid brain development. We must place adequate importance on play now, so that our precious children grow up into successful, well-rounded and happy adults.” But a government report in February that found more than one in nine children had not set foot in a park, forest, beach or any other natural environment for at least a year.

The new survey questioned a nationally representative sample of 2,000 parents of 5-12 year olds and found 74% of children spent less than 60 minutes playing outside each day. UN guidelines for prisoners require “at least one hour of suitable exercise in the open air daily”. The poll also found children spent twice as long playing on screens as playing outside.

source: time

 

[thetopher]

It's the sheer inactivity of kids that's making many of them so unhealthy. All this focus on food fats & sugars is actually the smaller part of the problem. If they were more physically active it wouldn't matter so much.

 

[Mr Trick]

It wouldn't surprise me if the report is true. Its pretty scary. I got the impression this was a problem in general not just here. The government have to take part of blame for the amount of services they've cut. Think Children/young people need more available outside of the house to do.

 

[GwenRaiden]

The gov.uk report is England only. All our Scottish children run free day and night chasing down wild haggis in the valleys.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

All our Scottish children run free day and night chasing down wild haggis in the valleys.

I thought it was trying to escape their parents.

 

[GwenRaiden]

I thought it was trying to escape their parents.

I'm inescapable. She'll never out-run me. Until she turns 3 and has to get a job and start paying towards the rent.

 

[nightshade]

Think Children/young people need more available outside of the house to do.

I used to think that too, but actually there's loads of things kids can do, they just have to go out and actually do it instead of taking the easy option of staying behind a screen. I think a lot of the time it's a case of parents not bothering to encourage kids to do things, or not wanting to take the kids to places.

 

[Mr Trick]

I used to think that too, but actually there's loads of things kids can do, they just have to go out and actually do it instead of taking the easy option of staying behind a screen. I think a lot of the time it's a case of parents not bothering to encourage kids to do things, or not wanting to take the kids to places.

Not saying its the only factor, but I do think it is a problem. Do agree with the second part. Its a shame that a lot of families don't do trips to the cinema with their kids anymore. It is almost like they take the easy way out and that is to leave them behind a screen all day.

 

[Last Watcher]

Think you have to factor in the sheer amount of 'Indoor entertainment' (TV, Computer games etc) that is available to kids now.....When I was a kid we didn't have a TV & computers were for rich governments only to play with, so we had far less choice. I spent pretty much ALL my spare time outdoors as a kid (Yes even in the rain).
Don't think it did me any harm........?

Ok don't answer that.....🙄

 

[sk]

Well, I guess it would be easier if the stuff on those screens wasn't so fascinating and fun.
If I was a kid today I wouldn't go out either if I wasn't forced to it.

So I can't blame the kids.
It must be the responsibility of the parents to make sure their kids gets outside and are more active.

But I can imagine several problems for the parents too.
How do you get the kids being more active when you don't feel secure about letting them be outside alone and don't have the time or possibility otherwise for constant supervision?

/SK

 

[thetopher]

So we all need a new, clean renewable source to generate energy.
Plus we need kids to exercise more.

Giant hamster wheels hooked up to the power grid!

 

[November]

Not saying its the only factor, but I do think it is a problem. Do agree with the second part. Its a shame that a lot of families don't do trips to the cinema with their kids anymore. It is almost like they take the easy way out and that is to leave them behind a screen all day.

But the cinema is just another big screen. What sense? Where?

I see snippets of the uk from friends photos, its beautiful. Why would you stay in with green for days!! I love the walk-a lot attitude to work/school that is missing here

Beach life is huge here. State sports. Maybe they gotta stop awards for giving it a go again,make them work for it.

I spent my teenage years on horseback and at beaches. Glory days.

 

[Mr Trick]

But the cinema is just another big screen. What sense? Where?

I see snippets of the uk from friends photos, its beautiful. Why would you stay in with green for days!! I love the walk-a lot attitude to work/school that is missing here

Beach life is huge here. State sports. Maybe they gotta stop awards for giving it a go again,make them work for it.

I spent my teenage years on horseback and at beaches. Glory days.

True, but its still getting them out of the house. At least with the cinema you know you are just there for a set amount of time like two hours or something, unlike the countless number of hours many of them spend on the computer. Not to mention its doing something with the family and you can do other stuff like catch a bite while your out etc...

 

[thrasherpix]

It's the sheer inactivity of kids that's making many of them so unhealthy. All this focus on food fats & sugars is actually the smaller part of the problem. If they were more physically active it wouldn't matter so much.

True! I was under doctor's orders to gain weight, and I was happy to have all the sugary iced tea, blueberry pie, fatty meats, and milk from the cow (supposed to be especially fattening) and I still didn't gain enough weight because of living a very active lifestyle (on a farm with nothing good on the TV or radio at that, and we didn't have computers). I did sort of gain weight, but it was like pure muscle (I needed the actual body fat for my puberty), not that I actually had muscles (I looked very lean), but it did make me weigh heavier...ironically, I was in the BMI (why is that still a thing?) range for healthy weight for my age at the time and still under doctor's orders to gain weight which the doctor later added my grandmother shouldn't let me be so active as I was burning off everything she was giving me before it could properly take. Thankfully, my grandmother was willing to feed me the good stuff without grounding me (but I can understand why just by imagining the horror of being locked in the house with a bored, energetic kid experiencing a sugar high and in a foul mood because she can't go outside 😱 ).

 

[November]

True, but its still getting them out of the house. At least with the cinema you know you are just there for a set amount of time like two hours or something, unlike the countless number of hours many of them spend on the computer. Not to mention its doing something with the family and you can do other stuff like catch a bite while your out etc...

Only if the family has spare cash. Which is another factor at play here.

Those in lower socio-economic groups in australia are more overweight in general - this is the same in the US, is it the same in the UK? Food does have much to do with it - cheap is filling. And activity costs money.

Again, I dont have lived experience in the UK - have prices and restrictions on sports clubs also gone up for you? For example, when I was a child, I could have horseriding lessons for a reasonable price. But around the year 2000, the insurance changed. And horseriding became an elite sport, only for the rich (in this state, at least). Rowing jumped form $40 to over $240 depending on the area lived in. Gymnastics that used to be $7 a session nowdays they demand up front term payments as parents wernt paying and how do you turn away a kid whos walked to class by themselves? There is endless paperwork and permission slips, your child could be over- scheduled if not careful. Gee it must be hard to balance.

I know even charity organisations are asking for upfront payment for children to participate - does this happen in the UK? Can price be restricting on activity, more than we know?

It looks like there are many places to go - but humans do get bored, and to need variety to keep up activity, its not weak will or laziness if there is nothing stimulating about the experience.

Clubs are great for kids, but are they accessible? To the people who need it most?

 

[nightshade]

Here it varies, we have the rowing and the sports and the dance and theatre groups that all cost quite a bit. However we also have cheap youth groups, that are £1 a session, no structured sport but a place they can go to let off steam, although they do have games consoles ( and did when I was a teen too) most kids tend to not play on those as they do have them at home.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Bluebird enjoyed her trip to the cinema last week, especially because Winter paid for it. But Winter wasn't impressed when Bluebird wouldn't take her in to the PG12 rated (porn for kids). That Walt Disney hussy let each of the mini-me gold miners kiss her. And to think she could have stayed at home and watched the sexual innuendo's of the wooden toy whose lies kept making it longer.

 

[Mr Trick]

Only if the family has spare cash. Which is another factor at play here.

Those in lower socio-economic groups in australia are more overweight in general - this is the same in the US, is it the same in the UK? Food does have much to do with it - cheap is filling. And activity costs money.

Again, I dont have lived experience in the UK - have prices and restrictions on sports clubs also gone up for you? For example, when I was a child, I could have horseriding lessons for a reasonable price. But around the year 2000, the insurance changed. And horseriding became an elite sport, only for the rich (in this state, at least). Rowing jumped form $40 to over $240 depending on the area lived in. Gymnastics that used to be $7 a session nowdays they demand up front term payments as parents wernt paying and how do you turn away a kid whos walked to class by themselves? There is endless paperwork and permission slips, your child could be over- scheduled if not careful. Gee it must be hard to balance.

I know even charity organisations are asking for upfront payment for children to participate - does this happen in the UK? Can price be restricting on activity, more than we know?

It looks like there are many places to go - but humans do get bored, and to need variety to keep up activity, its not weak will or laziness if there is nothing stimulating about the experience.

Clubs are great for kids, but are they accessible? To the people who need it most?

Sure, but that's always a factor. Most families would be able afford the odd movie trip/family outing one way or the other.

 

[nightshade]

Surely though instead of a family outing or movie trip, which doesn't get them much exercise they could go for a free walk out somewhere. Ok might not be as easy if you live innercity, but a car trip or bus or train out wouldn't cost that much and you can be out for the entire day much more cheaply than 2 hours sat watching a movie, with the expense of that plus snacks. Kids need regular exercise and they just don't get enough in schools, joining a sports group or even something like the scouts or guides would be a better option, if parents can afford it.

 

[Mr Trick]

Surely though instead of a family outing or movie trip, which doesn't get them much exercise they could go for a free walk out somewhere. Ok might not be as easy if you live innercity, but a car trip or bus or train out wouldn't cost that much and you can be out for the entire day much more cheaply than 2 hours sat watching a movie, with the expense of that plus snacks. Kids need regular exercise and they just don't get enough in schools, joining a sports group or even something like the scouts or guides would be a better option, if parents can afford it.

But that is why I mentioned the cuts to feuding. Many of those things you are talking about are becoming a thing of the past because the government are cutting their funding or in some cases they are disappearing altogether. Guess my idea with the cinema was that its a social thing to do with the family. But I take your point about the lack of exercise.